Chapter 10: The Arrival (Part One)

More than ten days had passed since that shopping trip. In the days that followed, apart from mealtimes, Mo Yu had spent all her time in her room, training her agility and reflexes, as well as cultivating her mental strength. Ever since Ling Zi arrived, Mo Yu would joke around and play with Ling Zi and Mo Qing during the day, but as soon as she shut her door at night, she resumed her training and cultivation.

Her mental strength had already reached late third tier, so she no longer needed sleep. The act of sleeping before was merely nostalgia.

Today was August 4th. The day after tomorrow... the day after tomorrow...

Mo Yu was in the midst of her cultivation when she suddenly sensed an unusual fluctuation in the air around her. The ground began to tremble slightly.

An earthquake!

With a snap, the living room light flicked on.

"Xiao Yu, get up! There's an earthquake!" Mo Yu hurried out, face solemn, helping to alert the others.

She knew this was only the beginning.

The tremors, which had just ceased, began again with greater intensity.

“Quick, get outside!” Mo Mother grabbed Mo Yu and rushed out, followed by the whole family.

“This damned weather—is it the autumn tiger already? Why is it so hot?” Ling Zi complained.

“It’s the greenhouse effect, I’m sure. Retribution. Humanity’s retribution,” Mo Qing commented coldly from the side.

Retribution, yes—but not so simple a one.

A minute later, the earth settled once more.

No one dared re-enter their homes, though in truth, there was no real danger—at least, not tonight.

“Breaking news: at 22:00 this evening, an earthquake struck S City…” It turned out Mo Chi, carried out in the chaos, had grabbed the old man’s radio from the table.

“Experts report the tremor has subsided. Residents are—beep—safe—beep.” The signal was breaking up.

“Is that reliable?”

“I doubt it.” By now, most people had fled their homes. Clearly, they all heard the news anchor’s voice from the radio. Clad in pajamas, discussing and debating, they looked nothing like their usual serious, shrewd selves.

A piercing scream shattered the uneasy calm, filling the air with tension and alarm.

“A snake! There’s a monster!”

“Don’t move! Be careful!”

“That’s a huge snake!”

“Run!”

“Mama—help!”

“Xiao Yu, where are you going?!” Mo Mother grabbed Mo Yu, who looked eager to see what was happening.

“Mom, stay here, don’t move. I’ll be right back!” Mo Yu shook off her mother’s hand and ran toward the commotion.

A terrible premonition seized her. How could this be?

She hadn’t even arrived before she saw people scattering in panic.

The scene before her left Mo Yu with mixed feelings.

It was a mutated snake.

But the apocalypse wasn’t supposed to arrive until tomorrow. Was it her—a mere butterfly—who caused this ripple?

People had already retreated to a safe distance. A few daring souls peered curiously from afar.

The snake had been struck by debris from a collapsed building, with viscous black liquid oozing from beneath its head. Mo Yu picked up a sturdy wooden stick, just in case.

Wait—what was with the look in that snake’s eyes? Why did it seem like the gaze a mother-in-law gives her daughter-in-law?

Annoyed, Mo Yu lightly tapped herself with the stick.

“Don’t overthink it! As if a snake would look at you like that!”

She fixed her gaze on the mutated serpent.

With violent thrashing, the snake hissed, twisting and rolling in agony. Mo Yu watched, alarmed.

What was this?

Suddenly, as if its strength had deserted it, the snake collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud, making the earth tremble. The curious onlookers quickly fled toward the crowd, still yelling for help.

Mo Yu poked the giant snake with her stick. It didn’t react at all.

Just then, a soft white glow shimmered from the snake’s head—weak, yet somehow like the last glimmer of hope.

The light slowly rose, drifting toward the snake’s tail. Mo Yu’s eyes followed it closely. Was this the brain core of the mutated snake?

As the light faded, something appeared before Mo Yu’s eyes—a perfectly round, smooth…

Snake egg?

The egg emanated a gentle white radiance, clearly having absorbed the energy of the brain core. Mo Yu scrutinized the egg, then, before anyone else could notice, slipped it into her storage space.

This must be a contract egg—so coveted in the aftermath of the apocalypse!

Did that mean she’d just unlocked her golden finger?

Mo Yu was overjoyed inside, though on the surface she feigned curiosity and fear. Her curiosity clearly outweighed her fear—otherwise, she wouldn’t still be standing there.

“Hey, kid, you’ve got guts.” A hand landed on her shoulder—it was a rakish young man, son of an official.

“Hm?” Mo Yu deftly dodged his paw. “No, not really. I only came over because it was already dead.”

“Oh? Is that so?”

“Yes, yes.” Mo Yu nodded vigorously, trying to look as frightened and sincere as possible. “My family’s looking for me—I have to go.” Without another word, she turned and ran off.

The man’s gaze was lazy but concealed a sharpness—an alert politician, that one.

With people like him, you either build a good relationship, or eliminate them at the first opportunity.